Taco Bell’s latest topped fries du saison are the Loaded Steak and Jalapeno Fries. It features marinated steak, nacho cheese sauce, jalapeno peppers, and creamy jalapeno sauce on a bed of nacho fries. With the twin jalapeno toppings, maybe this should’ve been called the Loaded Jalapeno and Steak Fries. Or perhaps it should’ve kept the name Taco Bell gave it in 2019 — Steak Rattlesnake Fries.
If you want to read our review of those fries, click here. Read on if you want to live in the present.
Some of you might be wondering what the bleep is with that white bloop of reduced-fat sour cream. It’s not supposed to come with this, and I didn’t customize my order to get it. So, um, a bonus? But I transplanted the white topping to a taco so that I could experience the fries as the Taco Bell Gods intended.
Although it’s a previous product with a new, less cool name, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s savory and tasty for the most part, which I’ll get to in a moment. The double strike of jalapeno ingredients brings the peppery flavor to the forefront, but both bring less heat than one might expect. I don’t know if the nacho cheese sauce had anything to do with the lack of spiciness, but if you’re looking to singe your taste buds, you won’t get that feeling from this unless you’re very sensitive to spiciness. The pickled pepper slices also have a satisfying crunch that the seasoned Nacho Fries wished they had.
The bites I enjoyed most were those where the meat took a back seat to the fries and sauces. I’ve had Taco Bell’s steak over a dozen times by now since it comes standard with every loaded fries, but the more I eat it, the less I like it. I know I shouldn’t expect much from Taco Bell, but I feel as if the meat tasted much better when the chain first updated it years ago. Now, it has a flavor that doesn’t excite my taste buds, and I’d rather eat Taco Bell’s seasoned beef than the steak.
Taco Bell’s Loaded Steak and Jalapeno Fries are a mixed bag of yum and meh. I enjoyed dipping my fangs into the fries, jalapenos, and sauces. But if I order this again, I’ll probably substitute the meat to create the Loaded Chicken and Jalapeno Fries or Loaded Black Beans and Jalapeno Fries.
Purchased Price: $5.49*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts:470 calories, 27 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 1420 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.
*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
What if the called them Rattlesteak Fries?